Tourist Visas

Valid for up to one month, a tourist visa can be obtained with the following documents:

1. A completed and signed visa application form
2. One recent passport sized photo, signed on the back
3. A tourist confirmation either from the hotel where you will be staying or from your travel (Russian or otherwise).
4. A tourist voucher, also issued by the hotel or booking agent
5. A passport valid for at least six months after the departure date on your visa application.

The requirements for obtaining a tourist visa do vary from country to country - some consulates require two copies of the application form, some require more than one passport photo. To be sure that you have all the required documents, check the instructions from your nearest Russian consulate, or confirm with the company providing your visa support.

The tourist confirmation is basically a document stating that you have booked accommodation for the entire duration of your stay in Russia. Most hotels will offer this service automatically (they have to be accredited by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs). If you are planning to travel around, or are staying in alternative accommodation, then there are a number of agencies that will issue you with the necessary tourist confirmation and voucher, normally for a set fee plus the cost of one night's accommodation.

Whoever issues you with visa support documents will also need to register you within three working days of your arrival in Russia. If you have booked hotel accommodation for the duration of your stay in the country, then the hotel or hotels where you are staying will deal with this. When you check in at the hotel, you will be issued with a registration form, which you should carry with your passport during your stay. At the end of your stay, the hotel will require you to return the form to them. If you stay in more than one hotel, this process will be repeated each time you check in and check out of each hotel.

If you are obtaining visa support documents without booking accommodation, you will receive your registration form from the company who issues you with visa support, and you will also have to return it to them before you leave the country. Although the onus is now on the inviting company to ensure that foreign travelers are registered for the entire duration of their stay in the Russian Federation, you may well have problems with local police if you are not carrying proof of registration.